10/26/2011

Paper Nackin'

Saturday was Mississippi College's homecoming.  Since we happen to live two miles from John Michael's alma mater, why not?


Met up with the Perrett boys

Showing respect during the National Anthem

Can't resist a family shot when we are with other people that can take our picture for us.

It got too hot at the game, we found something better.

Either Ryder kept forgetting their name or it was just a mouthful saying Preston and Pace, so he kept referring to them as boys.  Come on boys, over here boys, up the slide boys.

 The boys with their daddys, very sweet.

I got double lucky Saturday night, my mom AND my sister were over at the same time!  We're all so busy, it's a rarity these days!

Sunday morning as I was getting Ryder ready for church I got his pants on but realized I needed to iron his shirt.  I heard some clonking around while I was ironing and thought it was John Michael in his boots.  But the steps kept getting louder and faster, and I was like what is he dancing around the house?  So I went in there to see and realized that JM was in the shower and it was Ryder making all that racket.

In my shoes.

I'm not sure what got into him with this cheesin, but I'll take it...

 In such a good mood, yeaaaah!

And one more (only thing I can think is I usually bribe him with candy if he'll smile good)

At what point is your kid too old for the stroller?  I thought we had a lot more time with it but he's practically hanging out of it, feet about to drag the ground.

This form of transportation is a little more his style

While John Michael was getting Ryder out of the car seat tonight after the park he said in this little whiny voice, "I tiiiired" and gave JM a big hug, and stayed there (a record).  It was priceless for a child who does not calm for one second. 

When we got him and ate dinner, I thought it was funny when I looked down at Ryder's plate and he had moved all the spinach over to the side on his chicken/spinach/noodle meal.  I asked him why, he said "I don't like dat stuff."  Good enough.

Battle scar

So I never forget, I have to type out some of the sweet things Ryder has said of late:
  • Tonight on our way to the park: "I'm sooooo excited!"  (never heard him say this before)
  • John Michael puts Ryder down a lot, but occasionally he asks for me :)  So tonight was one of those.  We rocked and talked for a little while then I got up to walk him over to the bed.  He started crying and saying "My pears, my pears"  I kept asking what he meant, I couldn't figure it out. Then I realized he was saying "My prayers, my prayers."  So we sat back down in the rocker and prayed away.
  • Also tonight, after I laid him down, and got to the door he said in the softest sweetest voice, "mama, cover me up" - something else I've never heard him say.
  • He loves to call me and JM (when either of us aren't with him).  This makes my day and is always a surprise.  When I see JM's name on the caller id, I never expect to hear "HEY MAMA!"
  • Not sure that this is considered sweet, but just funny, "Mama, I gotta boogie in my nose, get it out, get it out!  Boogie huwts my nose!"
  • And this cracks us up, after he tee's in the potty, he says every single time, "Gotta wipe with my paper nackin, I wonta big piece."  Where does he get paper napkin from?  
WAY BACK WHENSday

What kept you busy way back when?  This is what kept me busy...

My Hungry Hungry Hippo
 My Nintendo

My pogo ball
 And my skip it (if I remember correctly, it counted your skips)

10/19/2011

Do the Urkel

First of all - Good News (for me).  I don't have to make blog private anymore because my very helpful friend Mandy told me how to disable right click so people can't steal your pictures.  I'm excited about that.

Secondly, we had a great, yet busy as always weekend.  Friday afternoon I was in a bad mood because we were having pictures on Sunday and we still didn't have family coordinating outfits.  I don't mean matching, but at least something that goes together NOT as in me in pink polka dots, Ryder in green stripes and JM in a blue shirt, you get my drift.  When I told John Michael my dilemma, he immediately said, "I am NOT going shopping with you tonight."  I pouted a little bit and either he felt like being really nice, or he just wanted me to shut up, and he agreed to go with me (I like it when the whole fam makes trips to Jackson with me, more time with them!)  So off we went and I had a little bit of luck.  While we were out, we decided to visit the our beloved Burgers and Blues for dinner. 


We got on home because I had to make tailgate munchies and get packed up for the next day.  We had to leave our house at 6 a.m. in order to get to the 11:00 game with enough time to tailgate.  Brutal.  As soon as we parked we wanted to change Ryder's diaper in the car before we walked to the tailgate.  I figured we'd walk him over to the bushes and let him try before we put another diaper on.  He had other plans.

You know you are at Mississippi State if... 
...your two year old pees on a tire in the parking lot of a college football game.

Face Paint

We were excited that John Michael's family came to the game this weekend!


Smiling so sweet at aunt Carolyn

Ryder and T

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Snuggling outside before church Sunday.  I asked Ryder if he wanted to come snuggle in my lap.  He replied, "I don't want to snurkle with you"

After seeing what he was going to wear, he decided to be a dinosaur for the day.  He made it very clear all day, "I'm a dinosaur, rrrooaarrrrrr"


Sunday afternoon we had some fall family pics done, so I wanted to take a few myself before we left.  I can't ever get him to look ahhhhhh.

Unless he's in the middle of using the bathroom that is.  No surprise here.

And these are some that he posted on facebook.  They weren't actually going to be Christmas pictures for us, but he had Christmas stuff up, so what the heck.





Sunday afternoon I was going through some clothes that were passed down.  Ryder quickly spotted this outfit and said he wanted to put on his "rescue suit?"  Which was not complete without his glasses.

Over the past few weeks when I am putting Ryder's pants on, he just has to pull them up himself. And every time he does, he goes Urkel on me. This is real...

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Ryder loves all things truck: firetruck, dumptruck, big truck, little truck.  So this morning I heard the garbage truck coming down the street so I told Ryder "Hurry up lets go outside, the garbage truck is here!"  I opened the door and he sprinted out yelling to the garbage man, "I want a popcicle!!!  Popcicle Popcicle right now!!!"  I guess the only other truck that's ever come right up to our house was the ice cream truck and he got a little confused.  He cried for a good five minutes when I told him he could not and would not WANT to get a popcicle from the garbage truck man.

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Ryder's class went to the pumpkin patch this morning (in their backyard)

So I snapped some pictures before we left the house.

And here he is by the same pumpkin stand two years ago.  I remember thinking this was the cutest picture I'd ever seen.  I'm retracting that thought now....

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Way Back WHENsday

If you didn't read as a child, this won't mean much to you.  But I can see it now:  It's 1991 and I'm digging through the bottom drawer of my white wicker armoire full of The Babysitters Club.
  


And Boxcar Children
 

 Maybe I was a total bookworm, but that's ok.

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Tip of the day (from Pinterest):  Store your lettuce in a mason jar to keep it fresh longer.  This is tonight's leftover lettuce.  I'll let you know if it holds true.

10/12/2011

Way Back WHENsday

I know I'm a dweeb, but here's my new clever blog segment, Way Back WHENsday.  If this already exists in the blog world, I didn't know it.  I came up with it all by myself :)  I do love a good memory and I'm going to try my best to come up with a good one each Wednesday.

Believe it! Hyper Color!

But wait... this is how hyper color advertised... And our parents let us wear them?  Looks a little scandalous if you ask me.

And gross, who wants to wear a shirt that smells like breath all the time.  Apparently we all did.

Nothing would make me happier than to post an image of myself in 1992 wearing mine... but I have no clue where that would be.  It's too bad.

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John Michael and I went to Orange Beach / Gulf Shores last Thursday through Sunday.  It was a great time of year to be there, still lots of people but not congested.  And weather couldn't have been more perfect.  I didn't get many pictures since our favorite subject wasn't there, but I tried to at least get a couple.

Taking Ryder to school on our way out of town, he doesn't look too upset about us leaving.

Although we missed Ryder dearly, we got to enjoy the parts of the beach that are a little more difficult with a toddler, so we soaked it up.  Things such as...

Enjoying a book and not looking up once.

Visiting the lovely Flora Bama.  If you are ever in need of an esteem booster, just drop by the FB, you'll leave feeling great about yourself.  Just remember to leave your bra before you go...

Watching the State/UAB game at the Hangout

Speaking of way back when, look at the fun metal lunchboxes on the wall at the Hangout.

Good times.  The weekend flew by, but was much needed and very appreciated.

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Parent of the year award (not being sarcastic) for the following:  We got home from the beach at 1:30 and by 3:00 we were beyond exhausted, but nevertheless, loaded up in the car headed to take Ryder to the fair (another esteem boosting venue - the people these days, sheeeeesh)

Gearing up for carousel ride, nervous

Holding on for dear life - both dad and child

The only other thing he could ride due to being vertically challenged was Bumblebee.  It seemed to suit him just fine though.

Since the giant slide is one size fits all, he rode that too.

Next we ventured to the farm area and the nice pig owner asked Ryder if he wanted to pet her pig.  I started to cringe for obvious reasons, but I kept my mouth shut.  JM was humiliated when as soon as he took his hand off the pig I was already squeezing the sanitizer.

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Ryder enjoys wearing Mr. Potato Head's glasses, he wears them all the time.  I'm assuming he thinks they fit, he's never actually seen himself in them.

"Hmmm, let me see what's in this drawer here"


Thank goodness for the glasses, or else he wouldn't be able to read the dosage.


Ryder's teacher took his picture the other day, can't get over this cheezin.

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If you love the crock pot and aren't afraid to use frozen not fresh ingredients, this is for you:

CROCK POT CHEESY POTATO SOUP
1 32 oz bag frozen diced hash browns, thawed
1 medium stalk celery, diced (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup frozen chopped onion (from 12oz bag), thawed
1 32 oz. carton chicken broth
1 cup water
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
8 oz. shredded cheese
Bacon bits (the kind in the bag)
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

In crockpot, mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water.  Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.  In a small bowl, mix flour into milk and stir into potato mixture.  Increase setting to High.  Cover, and cook 20-30 more minutes or until mixture thickens.  Stir in cheese until melted.  Garnish individual servings with bacon and green onions.  Can also sprinkle with pepper.
Sidenote:  We did not use the green onions.  Also, this was really good last night, but even better for lunch today.  Just add a salad and cornbread and supper's ready.